The Awakening
by xXPeaceBabesXx
Summary: Takes place after ch 423. AU. After Ichigo loses his powers, Rukia decides to stay with him in a Gigai, so he still knew what happened before wasn't his imagination. But, after a routine Hollow killing, she goes missing, Ichiruki Ratings may change.


Guess what! I'm now writing a Bleach story. Now, you guys may be thinking: _Why in the hell is she writing a new story when she can't update her others?_

This is your answer: 'Cause it's Fanfiction and I can. Besides, I had a good idea.

Summary : Takes place after ch 423. AU. After Ichigo loses his powers, Rukia decides to stay with him in a Gigai, so he still knew what happened before wasn't his imagination. But, after a routine Hollow killing, she goes missing. How is Ichigo going to find the midget without his Shinigami powers? Ichiruki

Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach..ah screw this. If I owned Bleach, would I be here?

A/N: Just a note: _Italics_ are for thoughts. Or empathized dialog.

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><p>Ichigo watched as the raven-haired Shinigami disappeared, probably for the last time. A slight smile graced his features, knowing that it was her that changed his life. "Thank you." He murmured, conscious of his friends behind him. He knew that Rukia still stood there, but since he used Saigo no Getsuga Tenshou in his battle with Aizen he lost the ability to see all spirits. His hands clenched themselves in his pockets as he grasped this fact; he looked down at the ground, orange hair shielding his eyes.<p>

"Kurosaki-kun?" Orihime walked up to the ex-shinigami and placed a hand on his arm.

"I'm fine." He removed her hand gently and turned away, "I'll see you guys, later. I'm gonna go and see my family." He smirked back at the confused gang, "I have been asleep for a month, ya know."

"Um, okay." Ishida blinked.

"Will we see you at school, tomorrow?" Chad's deep voice said softly.

School? Ichigo sighed, he never thought that he'd hear that word again. "Yeah." he turned away, so now no one could see his expression, and walked past them, and into his house. He left the others outside and leaned up against the door. It's really over, huh? A dry chuckle made it past his lips, "Well, I never thought that would ever happen. I guess it's up to Inoue, Ishida, and Chad to take care of the hollows, now." he straightened up and walked to the base of the stairs, only to find himself on the ground.

"ICHIGO!" His father yelled.

"Grr, WHAT THE HELL! DAD!" Ichigo shot up and forcefully rammed his forehead against his father. "IS THAT ANY WAY TO TREAT YOUR SON?"

"IT IS WHEN HE ACTS MOPEY!" Isshin shot back, and a fist landed itself in his jaw, sending him back into the far wall.

"You know, maybe you should act your age for once, Dad." Ichigo felt a vein pop on his head in irritation.

"Oh Masaki, I get no respect!" Isshin cried and pressed himself up against the poster of his late wife. Ichigo scoffed and walked up the stairs.

Ichigo stopped outside his door and glared through it. _Was this any way to treat someone when they wake up from a month long coma?_ He scowled and opened the door, only to be clomped by a certain lion plushie.

"Ichigo! You're back!" Kon hugged his chest and cried. "I was wondering when you'd wake up."

"Why weren't you here when I did wake up?" Ichigo asked.

"I stayed away so you could talk to Rukia-chan and the others. I figured I could talk to you later." Kon jumped onto the floor

"Did she come back here to say goodbye to you, before she left?" Ichigo smiled a little, hopeful that she would just appear in his window.

"No, I don't think she gave any hint that she was leaving." Kon's eyes widened.

Ichigo walked past him and fell backwards on his bed, staring up at the ceiling, "I guess there'd be no point in doing so, I can't see her anyway." he crossed his arms behind his head, only to be jumped by Kon.

"Ichigo, that won't be the last time you ever see her! You idiot! Did it ever cross your mind that she could be in a Gigai and come and visit?" Kon glared at the orange-haired boy.

Ichigo's amber eyes widened, but then narrowed. "I'd think she'd rather be in the Soul Society than hanging out with me. I don't have my shinigami powers anymore, remember." He scoffed and scowled.

"Baka!" Kon slapped him, although he's in his plushie body so it really had no effect.

"The hell?" Ichigo grabbed his head and flung him out the window, "You know, for that, you can spend tonight outside."

"You moron!" Kon yelled from the ground.

"Like I haven't heard that one before." Ichigo sighed and watched as the sun began to set.

"Oi,Ichi-nii! Yuzu has dinner ready!" Karin yelled from outside his room.

"I'm coming." Ichigo sighed and rose to his feet. He walked to his door and glanced back, before shrugging and closing the door behind him. He walked downstairs and dodged another attack from his father, kicking him in the face as he sat down at the table.

"Good job...for dodging my...attack...Ichigo." Isshin groaned into the floor.

"Dad, come and eat." Yuzu complained.

"Urgh." Isshin groaned and sat in his seat.

Yuzu handed out the food and sat back down, her and Karin both stared at Ichigo. They were expecting some type of explaination from when he was in a coma for a month.

Ichigo twitched under their gaze and hid his eyes from them, eating his food.

"Are you gonna tell us, Ichigo?" Yuzu asked in her quiet voice.

"Ichi-nii, what happened that you were out cold for so long?" Karin asked.

"I'll tell you, just not now." Ichigo sighed and glared at his food. "I'll wait until I think you'll understand." And with that he pushed his chair back and left his half-eaten food, only to return to his room.

"Ichigo." Yuzu frowned.

"Let him go, Yuzu. He'll tell us when he's ready." Karin crossed her arms, "It's not like he thinks we're not ready to know, it's that he's not ready to tell us." She looked at her sister, "He'll come around."

"Karin's right! It's just some teen angst that your brother's going through!" Isshin ripped open his shirt, "If you need a comforting hug, just come to me, my loving daughter!" He was silenced by a kick in the head by Karin, and he fell to the floor.

"You're so weird, dad!"

"Oh Masaki, what did I do to deserve such disrespect from our own daughters..."

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><p>Ichigo got out of the shower and returned to his room, only in a towel draped around his waist, his orange hair dripping water. "It's feels weird." He murmured, and then looked at his closet, "About now, my shinigami badge would go off, and Rukia would kick my ass out the window to take care of the damned Hollow. But now, I almost feel like it never happened." His expression was downcast, "I asked to be normal, so long ago it seemed. But, in reality, it's only been a few months. I've only been a shinigami since May, but now, it's January." He thought back, laying on his bed, still in the towel, "To think how many times I almost died, how many enemies I've defeated, all of it happened in the span of eight months. And now..." His expression softened, "It's over."<p>

"Idiot!" his face was met by a swift kick, by a small foot. He groaned and held his head.

"What the?" He groaned.

"Are you really going to sit here and mope, Ichigo?" A forceful voice caused him to have his head snap up. He saw the raven-haired girl, clad in p.j.'s, glare at him, her hands rested on her small hips.

"Rukia? What...?" Ichigo blinked.

"What am I doing here?" Rukia completed the sentence. Ichigo just nodded, in shock. "Well, I decided, that I shouldn't leave just yet, plus, there are still gonna be hollows lurking around. So, a shinigami, such as myself should be stationed here."

"What about that afro-shinigami?" Ichigo blinked in confusion.

"He's useless." She said in an off-hand tone, grinning.

Ichigo felt his mood lighten and he caught Rukia in an unexpected hug, surprising both himself and her,.

Rukia felt her face get red before kicking him off her.

"Oi! What the hell, Rukia?" Ichigo demanded. He shot up so quick that his towel fell off. He was so pissed that he didn't even notice.

However, Rukia did. She blinked and felt her face become even hotter as she noticed Ichigo's body. But then she covered her eyes and turned away, quickly. "Oi, Ichigo!"

"What?" He seethed, still oblivious.

"Put some clothes on!" She yelled.

He rushed and put his hand over her mouth, "You idiot! Do you want my dad to come in here?"

"Ichigo, I will ask one more time, put some clothes on!" Rukia growled. This snapped him out of it, and he realized how close he was standing to her, and he backed away, blushing and threw some boxers and sweatpants on.

"Sorry." he muttered and scowled out the window.

Rukia really didn't mind that he was naked, but she knew Ichigo did so she acted like she cared. "No problem." Rukia said in her sickly sweet voice, but then her expression changed. "Are you okay? I saw Kon whining outside."

He scoffed, "I'm perfectly fine."

"Oh really?"

"Yeah!" Ichigo growled at the shinigami.

Rukia smirked and sat down on the bed, "I'm sure you'll get your powers back, Ichigo. What Kisuke said was probably BS."

"I don't know, Rukia, I really don't know." He sighed and lay back on his bed, _but I can always hope. _He thought.

"Maybe after using such a powerful attack, your soul just needs to rest and regain strength." Rukia continued.

"I guess." Ichigo propped himself up with his elbows, "So, how long are you planning on staying?"

Rukia sighed, "Well, I'll have to make trips to the Soul Society, of course. But, until I am ordered to go back, I'm going to stay here." She looked at Ichigo, "And yes, that means I'm continuing to go to school."

"Good."

Rukia narrowed her eyes, "What is that supposed to mean, Ichigo?"

"It means, Midget, that at least it won't feel so surreal that I don't have any connection to the spirit realm any longer-!" He winced as Rukia punched him in the gut, "Hey, what was that for?"

"You know I don't like being called that." She glared at the former shinigami.

Ichigo smirked, "Well, it's not my fault that you're so damn short."

_Punch._

"I mean, are you ever gonna get taller, or are you gonna stay a munchkin?"

_Jab_.

"Aw, did I offend the Midget?"

_Kick._

"Alright, I'm done." Ichigo rubbed his shin where he was kicked, and smirked.

She glared threateningly at him, "_Are you_?" She growled.

Ichigo laughed and fell back down again, "Yeah, yeah." He sighed, "Let's just get some sleep, and I'll see you in the morning."

Rukia scoffed and jumped off his bed again and walked over to the closet and opened the door. "Ichigo?"

"Hm?" He already turned off the light and got under the covers.

"Good night."

"'Night."

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><p>I also would like to thank <strong><span>Kyeykva<span>** for helping me with the title for this story and for being my beta.

Well, this is my first attempt at Cannon pairing. I usually do OC pairings. So, what do you think? It's kinda OOC, and I realize that, but I don't give a crap about what you people think. lol, I do care, but some ideas are welcome.

See that stupid review button at the bottom? Remember the old one? I do. But, since we can't have the old one back, click this one and review.

Just a note, I might change the rating from T to M, but I'd like to know if you guys would like a lemon at some point. In your review, I want you either to say you want a lemon or you just want to have this story stay rated T.

xXPeaceBabesXx :3


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